National Sugar Awareness Week + Cake Mix Donut #Recipe using @AquaBallDrink #sp

National Sugar Awareness Week (January 18-22), is an initiative designed to urge Americans to cut sugar from their diets and/or at least lessen their normal sugar consumption. In conjunction with the week, AquaBall, a zero sugar and zero calorie children’s beverage are encouraging Moms and Dads to reduce the amount of sugar not only their kids intake in a day, but for them too!

The USDA’s 2015 Dietary Guidelines were released recently urging Americans to reduce sugar intake to less than 10% of their calorie consumption, the challenge aligns perfectly with the push to promote healthier lifestyles in 2016 and beyond.

Donuts are a yummy treat, but when you buy them at the store they are covered with thick frostings, sugar and usually deep fried.   To help  cut the sugar content and the deep fried aspect, I opted to make baked cake donuts that use flavored waters to help sweeten the donut and give it a light yummy flavor!

Prep time	Cook time	Total Time
10 mins	10-15 mins	20-25 mins

Yield: 2 dozen large donuts or 4 dozen mini donuts

  

Ingredients

• 1 box  yellow cake mix (I used a store brand that was 18.2oz)
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup Aquaball flavored water of your choice (I used Berry Frost) or your favorite brand of flavored water

Glaze:

• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• sprinkles (optional) 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. In your mixer, mix together the cake mix, egg, vegetable oil, and Aquaball water until completely mixed
     
   
4. Pour batter into a zipper plastic bag and cut off small section of one corner. If you are making with kids it is easier for them to handle a lunch size bag, if not use a gallon bag. 
5. Squeeze donut mixture into sprayed donut pan, filling each opening about a  ½ full.
    
   
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Let donuts cool in pan  and  then remove place on a on wire rack (under  each rack place wax paper).

For the Glaze:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the melted butter, powdered sugar, and milk until  there are no more lumps
    
   
2. Dip the the donuts about ½ way into the glaze.
    
   
3. Place back on wire cooling rack.
4. Top with fun sprinkles if you desire! 
5. Let them sit on wire rack until glaze set
    
   

The very first and only flavored water just for kids with absolutely no sugar and no calories. Instead,  it’s sweetened with natural stevia, has no artificial colors or flavors and is enhanced with B Vitamins and Vitamin C. AquaBall is also the only water beverage to meet Disney’s nutritional guidelines and receive their “Mickey Check” seal of approval. Kids love AquaBall because of its fun shape and characters, moms love it because it’s a healthier alternative to juice and other sugary beverages, and a great way to get kids to drink more water! 

AquaBall comes in four flavors:

• AquaBall Berry Frost is naturally flavored and features Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Sven from Disney’s Frozen.
• AquaBall Orange Splash is naturally flavored and features Classic Disney character: Donald, Daisy, Mickey and Minnie
• AquaBall Fruit Punch is naturally flavored and features Disney Princesses Ariel, Rapunzel, Cinderella and Belle.
• AquaBall Grape is naturally flavored and features Marvel Avengers Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and Avengers Assemble.

Some easy ways to cut sugar is to replace juices and sodas with flavored water like Aquaball! It is easier to change your habits if you do it as a family!   So instead of purchasing milk or sending in juic boxes in the school lunch, why not send the kids with Aquaball or even just a bottle of water!  For adults breaking the soda habit can be a tough.  You will need to slowly wean yourself.  Depending on how much you drink, slowly reduce it say 2 cans to 1 can a day. then 1 can to a half and then to none.   I say do it slowly as you will be coming down off of both caffeine and sugar , which both are very addictive.   Then replace it with water or flavored water.   I now take three water bottles to work with me a day and never need soda!

Other ways to cut down  on the sugar is to pack your own lunches.   We go ahead and make contained of fruit, crackers, cheese sticks, meat sticks, pretzels, veggies, etc.   The night before we make sandwiches, so the next morning  we can just grab all the items and place in appropriate lunch bags.   This was we know what the kids are eating and not worrying about school lunches or prepackages food. The little changes can make a big impact!

How do you cut out sugar or reduce it?

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